The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
You can be grateful for what you have and still strive for more. The duality of gratitude and success is a difficult concept to grasp, but understanding it is invaluable in both your success and well-being.
On the Grateful Podcast, Jack and his guests explain how everyone has opportunities and choices to go after the life they want, and they owe it to themselves to do just that. You must recognize and be grateful for what you have in order to get the best out of yourself moving forward.
There are conversations ranging from business to mental health and everything in between as well.
The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
Why Adversity IS The Path To Success with Joshua Dean Church | 87
The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner
Episode 87
Guesting Joshua Dean Church
Born with a collapsed lung and told he’d never be an athlete, Joshua Dean Church defied the odds—completing an Ironman and sending the finish line photo to the doctor who once doubted him. A Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, Josh built a $20M company in three years, only to shut it down when it no longer aligned with his purpose.
In this deep, soulful, and fiercely honest episode, Josh shares:
• How adversity isn’t in the way—it becomes the way
• Why leading others starts with leading yourself
• The 5 pillars of modern leadership
• His journey from black sheep to heart-centered leader
• The dance between faith, intuition, and ambition
• What “living what you rap about” really means
We talk journaling, mental toughness, spiritual growth, and how to find the next step when you feel completely lost.
Chapters:
00:00 Embracing Pain and Adversity
03:55 The Journey of Intuition and Inner Guidance
06:48 Navigating Business Failure and Growth
09:47 Lessons from Failure and Leadership Development
12:46 The Shift in Podcast Focus: Leadership
15:41 The Importance of Historical Leaders
19:18 Defining Modern Leadership
22:16 The Dance of Surrender and Action
36:55 The Power of Gratitude and Ambition
42:55 Finding Balance: The Middle Path
49:17 Navigating Misalignment and Seeking Clarity
📍 This is one of the most important conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Listen closely.
Find Josh:
Website: https://www.joshuadeanchurch.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuadeanchurch/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshchurch
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuadeanchurch
The Way You Lead Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-way-you-lead/id1475360470
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/r1N4agSN0k0
Subscribe for more deep conversations with thinkers, seekers, and soulful creators. 🙏
⸻
🧠 More from Jack:
Newsletter (Magic, Meaning & Momentum): https://magic.beehiiv.com/v1/aa6b0945-43aa-43c8-b320-0fde6998f852?email=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack_wagoner_/
1:1 Coaching & Dream-Chasing Guidance: jackcwagoner@gmail.com
💬 If you found this conversation meaningful, send it to a friend and leave a review. It really helps more people find this kind of soul-nourishing content.
⸻
🎙️ About Jack:
I’m an 18-year-old high school student with a big dream: to show the world that you can be grateful and ambitious at the same time. Through The Grateful Podcast, I explore what it means to live a meaningful life—one deep conversation at a time.
